Shed-forming mechanism for looms.



- No, 737,149. PATENTED AUG. 25,1903.

. c. F. ROPER.

SHED FORMING MECHANISM FOR LOO'MS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5, 1903.

N0 MODEL. -2 SHEETS- SHEE'IPI.

/ I I (ikagrkavffio ver No. 737,149; v I'PATBNTED AUG. 25, 1903.

. I o. r. YROPEVR.

' SHED FORMING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5,1903

no MODEM 2 slums-5111:1112

THE NORRKS WETERS CO FHOT LITKO ASHINGYON D C 1 UNITED STA-res I iatented August 25, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. ROPER, OF I-IOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNQRTO DRAPER COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, AOORPORATION OF MAINE.

SHED-FORMING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

srncrrrcazr olvformin part of Letters Patent No, 737,149, dated. August 25, 1903. Application filed June 5.1908. SerialNo. 160,148. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F; ROPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hopedale, county of fWorcester, State of Massaf;

chusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shed Forming Mechanism for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to shed forming mechanism for looms; and it has for its object the'production of novel and improved mechanism for effecting positively the for mation of the shed without the use of straps, bands, or other flexible connections, means being provided for varying the dwell of theharnesses in a novel and simple manner. It 'is'well known to th ose'skilled in the art of weavingthat it is often necessary to, use harness cams of various lengths of dwell, according to the nature OffllB goods to be woven. Thus it is easier to weave heavy cloth with a great many picks to the inch with cams having longer dwell than those employed in weaving light goods with the picks of filling put in loosely. By the means herein provided thedwell can be varied at the will of the operator without requiring any change of cams, so that by a readily-made adjustment the movement of the harnesses is made toproperly conform to the character of the cloth to be woven.

These and other novel features of my invention will be described in the subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims. Figure 1 is a partial front elevation centrally broken out of a loom with one embodiment of my present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 isa righthand side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig.1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional detail on the line 3 3, Fig. 1, looking toward the left. Fig. 4 is a detached view in side elevation of the controling-cam for the harnesses; and Fig. 5 is a grcatlyenlargedverticalsectionaldetailtaken through the actuating-pinion and cooperating racks for effecting the reciprocation of the harnesses to show more clearly the manher in which the differential movement of the front and back harnesses is effected.

As will appear more fully hereinafter, my

invention in its present embodiment is applicable toa so-called two-harness motion,

wherein one harness is raised when the other is lowered, and vice versa.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the loom-frame A crank-shaft O, and cam-shaft 0 may be substantially of well-known construction, the

loom sides having rigidly secured thereto upturned stands A, taking the place of the usual arch in the construction herei'n shown. Elongated horizontal bearings B are adjustably secured to the stands A, each bearing 6 having a depending footb, bifurcated at its lower end and longitudinally slotted at b to receive the shank of a stud-bolt a, extending forward from the stand, a nut a on the bolt clamping the bearing in vertically-ad- 7c .justed position. Each stand is provided with a forwardly-projecting ear (1, which enters the bifurcated part of the foot I), and an upright adjusting-bolt a is mounted in the ear and bears against the foot, as clearly shown in 7 5 "Fig. 1. By loosening the nuts a the bearings 13, either orboth, can be vertically adjusted by means of the bolts a and brought into proper alinement, as well as raised or lowered to a limited extent. A rock-shaft F is mounted in the bearings B wholly above the harness-frames referred to hereinafter, and viewing Fig. -1 it will be seen that the end-of the shaft projects beyond the bearing, the projecting end having secured to it by a suitable set-screw 3 a rockerarm f, longitudinally slotted at f, Fig. 2, and extending radially from the shaft. Between this rocker-armand the outer end of the adjacent bearing B the shaft F passes loosely through a hole 4 (see Fig. 4;) in a cam-block 9o D, having in its outer face a controlling 'ca'm, shown clearly in Fig. 4 as agroove comprising a main circular portion d, struck from the center of the hole 4, and straight endportions or dwells d and d I Referring to Fig. 4, the center lines of the dwell portions d (l are shown as substantially radial to the center of the circular portion (1 of the cam, the dwell d being upturned and the other dwell downturned, as shown in Figs. 10

2 and a. A rearwardly-extended ear (1 on the cam-block D is secured by a suitable bolt 30, Fig. 2, to a rearwardly-extended ear b on' the adjacent bearing B to assist in support ing the cam-block and holding it immovable. Outside of the bearing-box A the cam-shaft O has fast upon it a crank c, longitudinally slotted at 0 (see dotted lines, Figs. 1 and 2) to receive a wrist-pin a, reduced at its ends to form shoulders 5, and held rigidly in adj usted position on the crank by anut c washers 6 being shown in Fig. 1 as interposed between the nut and crank and between the crank and adjacent shoulder 5 of the wrist or crank pin 0. A washer 7 is held by a nut 0 against the outer shoulder 5 of the wrist-pin,-

and between said washer and the nearer washer 6 the pin is embraced loosely by av wrist-block c, secured to the lower end of an upturned. link a. An enlarged flattened and bifurcated head 0 is attached to the upper end of the link, the head receiving loosely between its sides the slotted end of the rockerarm f. A follower f (see dotted lines, Fig. 2) is rotatably mounted on, a stud c in the head 0 and travels in the slot f the inner end of the follower extending into the camgroove in the block D, as at f (See dotted lines, Fig. 1.) Manifestly the rotation of the cam-shaft O will effect longitudinal reciprocation of the link 0 and the follower f f will travel in the cam-groove in the block D and also in the longitudinal slot f of the rocker-arm f, and when the part f of the follower is traversing the circular portion (1 of the cam-groove the shaft F will be rocked. When, however, the part f of the follower moves along either one of the dwell portions d or d of the camgroove, there will be no angular movement of the rocker-arm f, as at such time the part f of the follower will move in the slot f toward its outer end. Now when the wrist-pin e is so adjusted on the crank c that it will have its shortest throw the follower at the upper end of the link will travel back and forth only in the curved portion of the cam and the shaft F will be oscillated without any dwell at the end of each stroke of the link, excepting for the instant at which the crank c is on center on each stroke. By moving the wrist-pin toward theouter end of the slot 0*, however, to a greater or less extent the throw of the link is made longer, and the follower will then enter and travel for a greater or less distance in each of the dwell portions, and the greater the traverse of the follower in such a dwell portion the longer will be the dwell of the harness at its upper and lower positions. Consequently by merely changing the position of the crank or wrist pin 0 I am enabled without any changeof cams. or any other change in the mechanism to vary the dwell of the harnesses, as may be required in conformity with the character of the cloth being woven.

The harness-frames and the manner in which they are guided in their reciproeations I have herein shown substantially as in another application iiled by me, Serial No. 1ll,l5l3, filed February 24-, 1903.

Two parallel upright racks m having longitudinal side flanges m, are secured to or form part of depending rearwardly-inclined extensions m, terminating in enlarged and thickened feet m laterally extending at m, Fig. 1, to slidably enter vertical guideways g in side guides G, rigidly secured to the inner sides of the stands A. The feet m are notched to receive transverse h arness-bars m two for each frame being herein shown, the bars being rigidly secured to the feet by bolts 8. Upon each of the bars 772 is strung a series of thin flat steel heddles, which serve also as warp stop motion controlling detectors, each harness-frame being herein shown as provided with two banks of such detector heddles. The racks m extend above the shaft F and face rearward to mesh with the teeth of two pinions f thereon, a rack-guide b on each bearing 13 extending around the outer face of the rack and preventing its withdrawal from the teeth of the pinion. The pinion-hubs are secured to the shaft by setscrews 10, Fig. 1, and they prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft.

The side bars or extensions m and their connected heddle-bars m constitute the front harness-frame, and manifestly they will be moved up and down by oscillation of the shaft F by or through the cooperation of the intermeshing racks m and pinions f the flanges m, which overhang the sides of the pinions, preventing lateral displacement of the racks. The back harness frame is practically a counterpart of the front frame, except that its racks 11 face the front and are behind the shaft F, while the downward extensions or incline forward and terminate in feet 11. to which the heddle-bars n are secured by bolts 12. The feet have lateral extensions a which slide in upright guideways g (see Fig. 3) in the guides G. Detector-heddles h are hung upon the bars a (see Fig. 1) and back guides on the bearings B, substantially similar to the front guides b cooperate with the racks a to hold them in proper mesh with the teeth of the pinions f The side flanges n of the back racks cooperate with the sides of the pinions and prevent lateral displacement of the racks. Vhen the shaft F is rocked, the front harness-frame will be raised and the back harness-frame lowered, and vice Versa, as will be manifest from an inspection of the drawings.

ating with the back racks. had greater radius than the teeth of the segments cooper complete pinions, and their teeth are of the:

same size and pitch throughout the circumference of each pinion. I have, however, made the teeth of the racks me thinner than the.

teeth of the racks W, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, so that while preserving in the front and the back racks a pitch that will cooperate with the pinions a given angular movement of .the latter will cause the racks a to move a greater distance than the racks m By referring to Fig. it will be seen that three teeth of the pinion f are cooperating with the rack wa and that the central tooth of the three will give the full benefit of its angular movement to the rack. On the other hand, the corresponding opposite tooth of the pinion is not in engagement with any teeth of the rack m while the two pinion-teeth on either side of this central tooth are in engagement with the rack-teeth. There is consequently a little lost motion between the rack m and the tooth of the pinion having its greatest throw, so that there is a small loss in the movement of the said rack. There is no backlash by this construction, because both racks are at all times under positive control of the pinion, this being manifest from Fig. 5. It may be said of the action of this differential connection, that two teeth of the pinion are always in cooperative engagement with 7 the rack m while three teeth of the pinion are in cooperation engagement with the longer moving rack n The side guides Gr prevent lateral movement ofv the harness-frames and guide them in true and accurate paths of movement when they are reciprocated, and by the construction herein shown all strapping,

greatly enhanced.

' bands, or other flexible connections for effecting the shedding operation are obviated and a very positive and direct acting movement is provided. The ease with which the dwell of the harness can be regulated and varied is of material advantage, as the constructionof the: apparatus is simplified and the ease and:

, verse curves act to move the follower f topensates for the slownessof movement of the.

ward the shaft F at thetime the link or actuating member 0 is moving most slowly. This inward movement of the follower quickens the angular movement of the arm f and commember 0 when the crank c is moving past top and bottom. center. Manifestly the follower will be maintained at a constant .dis-. tance from the shaft F when it is controlled by the circular part cl of the cam, and any variation in the angular speed of the shaft Wllll then be due onlyto that'arising from the crank-motion which reciprocates the link 0 My invention is not restricted to the precise construction herein shown and'described,.as it may be modified or varied in different details by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having described my .invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is. I

1. In a loom, two oppositely-movable harness-frames, a shaft having an attached-radial arm, transmitting connections between; the.

shaft and the harness-frames, to reciprocate the latter, .a reciprocating actuating member, a connection between it and the arm and movablerelatively thereto toward and from the shaft, andmeans to control such radial movement of the connection and thereby govern the oscillation of the shaft.

2. In a loom, two oppositely-movable harness-frames, a shaft having an attached radial arm, transmitting connections between the shaft and the harness-frames, to reciprocate the latter, a reciprocating actuating member, a connection between it and the arm and slidable longitudinally upon the arm, and means to change the positionof the connection on the arm at the end of each stroke of the actuating member, and thereby effect a corresponding change in the angular speed of the shaft. v

3. In a loom, two oppositely-movable harness-frames, a shaft having an attached radial arm, transmitting connections between the shaft and the harness-frames, to reciprocate the latter when the shaft is rocked, a recipro-' arm, transmitting connections between the shaft and the harness-frames, to reciprocate the latter, a reciprocating actuating member, a connection between it and the arm and mov.-.

. able'longitudinally thereon, a cam to control the longitudinal movement of the connection on said arm, the cam having a dwell portion at each end, and means to vary the lengthof,

the stroke of the actuating member, such variation in stroke,in connectionwith the dwells of the cam, determining thed'uration of the dwell of the harness-frames. i

5. In a loom, two oppositely-movable harness-fram es, a shaft having an attached radial arm, transmitting connections between the shaft and the harness-frames, to reciprocate the latter, a reciprocating actuating member, a connection between it and the arm and movable thereon. toward and from L the shaft,.a fixed controlling-cam in cooperative engage- &

ment with said connection and having a circular main portion concentric with, and straight ends radial to, the shaft, the extent to which the straight ends cooperate with the connection determining the duration of the rest period of the shaft at each change in the direction of its angular movement, and means to vary the length of the stroke of the actuating member.

6. In a loom, a rock-shaft having an attached radial arm,a rotating crank,a link connected at one end with the crank and longitudinally reciprocated thereby, a connection between the other end of the link and said arm and longitudinally movable thereon, and means to control the movement of the connection toward and from the shaft during the stroke of the link, to govern the speed of angular movement of the shaft, combined with two oppositely-movable harnesses,. and connections between them and the shaft, to oppositely reciprocate them by oscillation of said shaft.

7. In a loom, a rock-shaft having an attached radial arm, a rotating crank, a link connected at one end with the crank and longitudinally reciprocated thereby, a connection between the other end of the link and said arm and longitudinally movable thereon, a controllin g-cam having a circular portion concentric with the shaft and straight ends radial thereto, and means to vary the stroke of the link, an increase of stroke causing greater movem ent of the connection along the straight ends of the cam and longer rest periods of the shaft at the changes in its direction of rotation, combined with two oppositely-movable harnesses, and connections between them and the shaft, oscillation of the latter effecting reciprocation of the harness-frames.

8. In a loom, two oppositely-movable harness-frames, a shaft having an attached longitudinally-slotted rocker-arm, a reciprocating actuating member, means to vary the length of its stroke, a sliding connection between said member and the arm, and a fixed cam adjacent said arm and by which the connection is controlled as to its sliding movement, the central portion of the cam providing a circular path for the connection concentric with the shaft while the ends of the cam cause rectilinear movement of the connection in paths radial to the shaft, to provide periods of rest for the shaft when its direction of angular movement is changed.

9. In a loom, a shaft having an attached radial arm, a rotating crank, a link adjustably connected therewith at one end and longitudinally reciprocated thereby, a connection between the other end of the link and the arm and longitudinally slidable thereon, said connection having a projecting follower, and a cam in engagement with the follower to control its movement toward and from the shaft, said cam having a main portion concentric with the shaft and straight ends radial thereto,

combined with two oppositely-movable har nessframes, and rack-and-pinion connections between the latter and the shaft, to oppositely and positively reciprocate the harnessframes when the shaft is oscillated.

10. In a loom, two oppositely-movable harness-frames, a shaft, a rack-and-pinion connection between it and each harness-frame,

to reciprocate the frames oppositely and positively when the shaft is oscillated, means to oscillate the shaft, and means, including a fixed cam, to govern the rest perods of the shaft and thereby determine the duration of the dwell of the harness-frame.

11. In a loom, two oppositely-movable harness-frames, a shaft, a rack-and-pinion connection between it and each harness-frame, to reciprocate the frames oppositely and positively when the shaft is oscillated, means, including a reciprocating member, to oscillate the shaft, and means, including a fixed cam and a device to change the length of the stroke of said actuating member, to govern the oscillatory movement of the shaft and the extent of its periods of rest.

12. In a loom, two oppositely-movable harnessframes,a shaft,transmitting connections between it and the harness-frames, to reciprocate the latter when the shaft is oscillated, means, including a reciprocating member, to oscillate the shaft, and means, including a fixed cam and a device to change the length of the stroke of said actuating member, to govern the oscillatory movement of the shaft and the extent of its periods of rest.

13. In a loom, two vertically-1novable harness-frames, fixed side guides in which they slide, upturned, rigidly-connected racks on the frames facing each other, a transverse shaft located between the racks and having pinions in mesh therewith, the teeth of the front racks being more Widely spaced than those of the back racks, to cause the latter to gain on the former, and means located at the side of the loom to rock the shaft and thereby positively reciprocate the frames.

14:. In a loom, a rotating shaft having a crank, a radially-adjustable wristpin thereon, oppositely-movable harness-frames, side guides therefor, an operating rock-shaft having a radial arm, gearing between the rockshaft and the harness-frames, to effect the reciprocation of the latter, a link connected at one end with the wrist-pin, a connection between the other end of the link and the arm and movable longitudinally thereon, and a cam to control such movement of the connection, the cam having dwell portions radial to the rock-shaft to control, in connection with the stroke of the link,'the length of the rest periods of the rock-shaft and thereby determine the dwell of the harness-frames 15. In a loom, two oppositely-movable harness-frames each having rigidlyattached racks, one set of racks facing the other set, a controlling-shaft between the racks and pro- ICC vided. with pinions to cooperate therewith, name to this specification in the presence 0 the teeth-of the back and front racks being two subscribing Witnesses.

differently arran ed to impart different V 7 strokes to the frames, and means to rock the CHARLES ROPER' 5 shaft and through the connections reeipro- Witnesses:

cate the frames positively and. oppositely. CLARE H. DRAPER,

In testimony whereof I have" signed my GEORGE OTIs DRAPER. 

